Kool Things
by Snow White's Poison Apple
Summary: Story is set after #4 of the Sookie books. Sookie & Eric had relations during Eric's stint of amnesia. What happens when Eric's memory is recovered? Thanks to Charlaine Harris, Alan Ball, and  later Stephanie Meyer for their characters. Sookie POV
1. Chapter 1

**KOOL THINGS**

Chapter 1. The Good Neighbor

**Sookie is human, rest are vamp. Story is set after book 4 of the Sookie Stackhouse books. Sookie is a telepath but can't read vampire minds. Bill is Sookie's former boyfriend. Eric is Bill's boss/ frenemy. Sookie and Eric had relations during Eric's stint of amnesia. During that time, Sookie killed a Were(fox) in self defense, Debbie Pelt.**

**Sookie POV **

Given that he was still in Peru, and I was his only (living) neighbor and former fling, I was once again slave to my fine southern roots and performing the task of retrieving Bill's mail. Ass. Both of us. I missed him a lot, and I kicked myself every time I felt a twinge of pain and regret. Again, ass. But keeping things copacetic was in my nature so I kept his home looking "lived in" while he was away. "Lived" being the operative word here.

I creaked up the steps to the semi-fixed-up ancient antebellum mansion. I noticed now how odd these stairs must regard my dirty modern sneakers that now ascended them. When they were constructed, high laced boots had been the fashion. Mmmm high laced boots, that reminded me of one night I had spent here wearing nothing but boots. _Oh zip it Sookie. Don't reminisce about the juicy stuff._ Right, focus on the fact that when I'd awaken hungry in the middle of the night, of course there was nothing to nibble on. I was the only, ahem, edible object at that house.

After removing the mailbox of its contents, I brought the mail inside and took a look around. I turned on some lights, giving passersby the false illusion that someone was home. I knew there wouldn't be any passersby, Bill lived at the end of the road; literally, only other supes would be wandering around out here, and they sure didn't need the extra illumination. This ritual of turning lights on in the darkened Compton home also gave me a sense of familiarity, reminding me of how many nights I had spent here in the darkness.

I passed through the small foyer, somewhat on its way to reconstruction, and stopped in the dimly lit living room. Can it still be called a living room if the usual occupant is dead? Point to ponder. The faint, unmistakable scent of vampire still lingered. It was a very pleasant mixture of night air, earthy red wine, incense, and, funnily enough, Drakkar Noir. No wonder women secretly fawn over this cheap passe cologne. On some subconscious level, Drakkar Noir conjures up an unconscious desire for lust and danger, for vampires.

The maroon velvet sofa seemed to beckon me to come and sit upon it. I walked over, stroking the arm rest with my left hand. The soft nape of the velvet set off a memory, recalling one of my favorite, and very distant, evenings I had spent here. I glanced up at the heavily framed mirror that hung above the sofa and caught a glimpse of my hair in it's reflection. I recalled another time I had seen my hair reflected in that mirror.

Last summer, I had come over to Bill's one evening after work. I had quickly changed after my shift at Merlottes bar into a lightweight, airy halter top that flowed loosely over the waistband of my shorts. I had also kicked off my work shoes and put on my everyday sneakers. Although I was awfully comfortable in this outfit, I couldn't help but to think how out of place a modern wardrobe seemed in this room. This room was used to having yards and yards of silks, taffeta and summer cottons draped across it's interior. This room was as old as my vampire. I pictured him in this room when both were new. The room had held up beautifully over the past century, so had my vampire.

Bill began telling me about the furnishings of the room. I paused to admire the ornate and heavily bronzed frame that bordered the grand mirror which hung over the fireplace. I placed my finger to trace the delicate carvings in the etched material and Bill leaned in close behind me, slightly pressing the entire length of his cool body against my mostly bare back. I felt my breath quicken when the whisper of his exhale fell upon my ear. He'd breathe for my benefit alone.

I stood looking into the mirror and saw both of our reflections. Bill, behind me, his left hand resting gently on my hip while his other hand brushed my hair off of my shoulder. He kept his gaze on my reflection and slowly kissed down the side of me neck, directly on the artery pulsating before him. I felt his grip tighten as he moved down to my right shoulder. The hand he had on my hip began slowly traveling up my side, winding it's way to the back of my neck and slowly gripped the base of my hair. Bill's fingers laced deep into my hair and tipped my throat up slowly. His lips traveled back to my chin and then his tongue lightly teased my warm neck and that, mixed with a faint cool breath coming from him made me shiver all over. I caught myself exhaling a soft moan as the slight graze of his extended fangs touched my skin. His right hand moved around me and tightly pressed against my ample cleavage, causing it to rise up and spill over the top of my seams. With more than a good hand full of breast, Bill locked on to my eyes in the mirror, once again. I couldn't take my eyes off of his dark masculine features and lust filled stare. He pressed his hand firmly against my chest and slowly untied the neck of my halter top. The straps fell to the sides and I locked both of my hands onto his, as if we were both acting as my bra.

He pulled me back slowly, towards the sofa, all the while his lips and tongue working my neck like only a vampire can. In a lightning quick move, he lifted me over the back of the sofa and laid me out on the seat. In an instant he was around to my side and his lips were on mine. Although they were cool to the touch, his firm but sultry lips warmed me with desire. I intertwined all of my fingers into his hair and turned my aching hips towards him, pulling him to me. He pulled away slightly, and with a sly smile moved his lips onto my inner thigh. His left hand gripped the back of my knee and stroked it while he licked lightly down the length of my leg. After a delicate bite on my inner calf, he quickly pounced onto the sofa arm rest and sort of perched there. He took my ankle,rested it on his shoulder and began rubbing my lower leg. With his extended fangs he slipped through my shoelaces and discarded my sneakers, holding my not-so-small foot firmly in his large hand. His thumbs pressed into the bottom of my foot and rubbed in slow circles that quickened and deepened, which brought a wave of pleasure I had not expected. This was my first foot massage, let alone R rated vampire foot massage.

Bill brought my foot in closer and began to tease my inner ankle with his tongue. He moved on to my toes, sucking each one. _Damn little piggies, who knew they were directly connected to my groin?_ I bucked my hips slightly and a low moan escaped my lips while Bill's tongue darted and licked in between each toe. His eyes were on mine and he dropped his gaze down, taking in the sight of my rapid breath, which caused my boobs to rise and fall dramatically. He grabbed me and pulled me onto the armrest with him. I straddled the armrest with my knees perched on his thighs. I began unbuttoning the tiny buttons (very tiny, stupid buttons) of his gray woven shirt, exposing the toned, pale flesh beneath. He exhaled with delight and closed his eyes as I felt the contours of his chest with my hands and lips. Then he gripped the small of my back with both hands, kissed me deeply and pulled me even closer into him.

_Stop it Sookie! _ I thought as I shook the memory from my brain. _That was months ago, don't torture yourself by finishing that thought._

My heart sank with the memory. I touched the arm of the sofa, unconsciously hoping to hold on to the warm feeling and bring it back. I closed my eyes and gripped the sofa for a second. I think I was trying to read the sofa's memory, recalling the time I'd spent on it with Bill.

_Dammit Sookie, there are two types of entities that you can't read, vampires and inanimate objects._

That made me smile a bit. I let go in a symbolic gesture and exhaled. I looked around and then quickly vacated the house. I grabbed the mail, switched on some lights and made my way back through the cemetery to my own weathered farmhouse. The owls noted my presence with some eerie whoo-hoo noises and a chorus of frogs answered from the distance. Of course the moon was full and large dark clouds were anxiously swirling around it. I think it's a law that there must be a full moon when one is in a cemetery after dark. Then I started to look for bats, to make the scenario complete. One can't leave a vampire's house to walk through a cemetery alone on a dark night without some creepy bats. I laughed to myself at that thought, and then of course from the distance, a wolf howled. Gothic bliss.

The one element missing in all of this was fear from the perky blond. In all horror scenarios, the human, usually a well endowed blond woman (totally me), runs idiotically through the scene in sheer panic, thinking, "Oh no the big bad vampire is going to get me." Ha ha "Get me", like that's what they do. I'd rather have my heart ripped out, literally, by a vampire, than broken by one. More than blood was drained from me. Bill drained my innocence. Once again, ass. Why I am still carrying his mail when I wanted to bake it in my oven? _Oh Sookie, suck it up. _It wasn't his fault he was called by his maker. Lorena. That bitch. True, but why did I have to suffer for it? I wasn't a damn vampire. Bitch... Bitch and ass sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n… I was back at my house.


	2. Chapter 2

**KOOl THINGS**

Chapter 2 "Dirty Boots"

I walked up to the front porch, snickering at my little rhyme, while I dug my hand into my pocket to retrieve my front door key. It took a little wriggling, my shorts were a bit on the tight side, especially since I was partaking in the drown-your-heartache-in-cheeseburgers diet. Damn that asshole, heartache and an additional 5 pounds.

As I raised my key to the door, a whoosh of air and pressure knocked past me, taking with it the key. I stood dumbfounded, when it happened again, coming from the other direction. Alright, I wasn't born yesterday, some supe was messing with me. Oh goody. Too subtle and, well, graceful for a were. Too quiet for a fairy, they like to talk. I didn't perceive the presence of any misplaced animal, so, not a shifter. It had to be a vampire. Fuck. Which one is it this time?

Eric dangled my key in front of me as we both heard a clap of thunder. Was it thunder or was it my heart beating out of my chest with surprise and fear? Yes, surprise and fear, that's what we'll call it (not lust and guilt… no, not that at all.)

"I need to talk to you about the body we hid during my mental leave of absence. I think I may have discovered where it lays. Come to my house, Sookie."

"Eric, you can't just pop out of nowhere, surprise the hell out of me, and demand that I just come to your house. It doesn't work like that in this day and age," I said. Who was I kidding, with Eric's awe striking looks, confidence, and sardonic charm I believe I was the only woman on earth, and some close planets, who had the resolve to resist him. I'll admit, if I didn't know Eric as well as I did, this would have worked on me too.

"That's right, you like to play with me. I'd forgotten," he said, giving me that slightly twisted smirk. He didn't forget at all, he just wanted to use this opportunity to demonstrate an assertion of power. "You like to make me work. This is both infuriating and intriguing. Hmm..." He paused for a moment, calculating the most condescending and yet charming way to address me with his request. "My dear Sookie, will you please do me the honor of accompanying me to my home so I can discuss the matter of one missing corpse with ..." He trailed off, pursed his lips and wrinkled his brow. "I don't do this. Sookie, get in the car, we need to talk."

Well, at least he made a (minimal) effort. I knew that was a step for him. I dropped into his car and he was in the drivers seat, the car already started, by the time my bottom touched the seat. Vampires relax their human pretenses and move at their usual pace when they aren't around questioning humans. I was definitely on the inner circle of supes. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

Eric sped out of my driveway and the crunch of the gravel sounded slightly smoother under the wheels of his Corvette. Only Eric could get away with driving that car. No one assumed he was suffering a midlife crisis or was compensating for a small penis. People just saw a hot guy in a hot car. Although I wasn't in it for attention or to be wooed, I did enjoy the luxurious leather seats and the smooth purr of the engine. I could see how this car could be used as a seduction tool, although, God knows, Eric didn't need any enhancement in the seduction department. Although I tried to forget it, I very much remembered he was well equipped with said tools. I'd seen his toolbox many nights, when he stayed with me during his memory loss.

Never seeing his house before, I had a vivid mental picture of what I thought Eric's abode would look like. I pictured him being a very modern guy with the latest and the greatest. After all, what fun is it spanning centuries of various decors when you couldn't redecorate every decade or so? The interior would be very open, absent of clutter. I pictured stainless steel countertops atop bamboo cabinets spilling onto polished concrete floors. I could imagine a meandering koi pond surrounded by expertly landscaped trees and shrubs set off perfectly with halogen ground and down spotlights. I'd envisioned the house facade to be modern with lots of spanning picture windows. I figured Eric for a guy who liked to show off his view, inside and out. Speaking of showing off, for some reason I'd imagined an extensive bar filled with top shelf liquor and imported blood, fit for royals, would be placed strategically in the home. He did own an actual bar after all, he would definitely take his work home with him. I knew for a fact that Eric did a lot of "entertaining".

We sped on through the night and slowed slightly as the road became more wooded. Eric took a sharp right turn and we started onto his private drive. We motored slowly down the smooth paved road while I caught a glimpse of the house and surrounding grounds. Well, I was right about the pond, but nothing else. Eric's house stood at the end of a long lane flanked on both sides with a solid row of oak trees covered in Spanish moss. A vast green lawn sprawled out from the structure, filling the space between the house and the road. To the left of the massive structure a mid-sized pond (moat?) was brimming with life. I couldn't put my finger on what was so special about this pond, but I knew I had to come get a closer look at it. We drove up to this massive Greek revival-style house and my mouth dropped open in amazement at the grandeur and traditionality that presented itself before me. The entire home was surrounded by a porch, both the upper and lower levels. This was Disneyland's "Haunted Mansion" on (acid) steroids. Great white columns solidified the porch every few yards while the immense cypress front door beckoned us to come inside. _This place would look insane with Christmas lights_, I chuckled, while I wondered if Eric once owned slaves.

He drove past the front steps and slowly pulled the car to the back of the house. I didn't know if my legs would work. This testament to Southern fortitude and tradition, well, impressed the hell out of me. Thus began our descent into the night and my descent into... something.

As we exited, he said, "Come take a look at the pond. It's...unusual. When I returned home, after spending those two weeks at your home when I'd lost my memory, I unpacked. I had a pair of boots with me that were soiled and covered with moss. I was uneasy wondering why I had soiled boots that I had no recollection of dirtying. The moss alerted me to my own pond. It's changed. Take a look."

I got out of the car and followed Eric down the cobbled path to the pond. It was amazing. Although I had never heard of a natural Louisiana pond being illuminated, this one was. Well, part of it, anyway. An ominous, eerie green light subtly glowed from the center of the pond. The longer we looked at it, the more the hue shifted. At the top of the water a perfect ring of white water lilies bloomed above the light. These were larger than any waterlilies I had ever seen. "Eric, it's beautiful." I said. "That light is so interesting and the flowers are magnificent."

"Keep watching," he said.

As I watched, the light faded from deep blue to purple and then glowed a bright red. As it hit the hottest point of red, the lilies withered and turned brown.

"What in the world is going on? How can you make flowers do that?" I asked. Then all of a sudden the red glow changed to amber, while the flowers seemed to heal. Once the light had changed back to green, the lilies had returned to there original fervor. They were shifting. _A two-natured flower?_

Eric said, "I can't make the flowers do that. Also, there are no luminaries at the bottom of the pond." He paused and looked at me directly. Rain was starting to sprinkle on both of us, darkening Eric's beautiful pale hair to a slicked down shade of wheat. Shit, he looked good wet.

"Well, what is making it ch..." I cut my self of mid sentence, suspecting the answer.

"Debbie Pelts' corpse," he said. "The witches must have enchanted her with some sort of foul-play spell. Someone wanted to be able to find her body."

"How do we stop it?" I asked.

"I'm working on it. I almost have a plan solidified. I needed you to see it. It's a rather beautiful sight, when you don't think of the circumstances that surround it."

The rain came down harder. Very hard. Very, very hard. In an instant, we were soaked to the bone. As a clap of thunder roared around us, a streak of lightning illuminated the sky.

"Let's get inside. Now," Eric commanded.

"Why don't you just take me back home?" I asked, even though I really didn't want him to. I wanted to see the inside of the mansion, of course. Yes, that was it. I sure didn't want to be all alone in a massive house with a beautiful vampire on a stormy night. Who would want that? So cliche.

"Because I don't want your wet skin on my leather." He said casually and grabbed my hand, pulling me briskly towards the back door.

We entered his home through the kitchen.

"Sookie, you're soaked to the bone. You need to get out of those clothes..." He paused and lifted his eyebrow which accompanied his sly smile, "... before you leave a watermark on my walnut floor. Although, I do appreciate your t-shirt much more in its current state of saturation and non-existent opacity."

"You're getting your floor just as wet," I said.

"Yes, but it's my floor, I can mark whatever I want," he continued.

"Oh Eric, just get me a towel!" I paused, "Please." I couldn't forget my Southern manners after all, even through a weighted innuendo. "I'll be dry in no time."

"I have clothing options for you," Eric said. Oh great, what could that be? Leftover clothing from some Fangtasia Fangbanger who bled out just a little too much? "Eww," I thought and it obviously showed on my face.

Eric said, "Pam has clothes here. She spends the night sometimes, when she's, um, had to much to drink," he smiled again.

"Oh great, Pam's clothes. Yes those will fit," I said sarcastically. Pam is slender. I am curvy.

"The guest room is the seventh door on your left," he said.

"Second?" I asked.

"No, seventh," he corrected me.

I couldn't wait to see the upstairs of a home that contained seven rooms just on one side of the hall alone.

"Go change, I will get you something to drink," he offered. I was thirsty, and cold, and wet, and ...curious, and a whole other list of things.

"That would be nice. Let's see, it's a little late for coffee, unless you have decaf. Perhaps hot tea or cocoa? That sounds soothing. I'd like some decaf chamomile tea please."

"Bourbon it is," said Eric. "Now go."

I ascended the back staircase, leaving small puddles of water as I went up. Good, I could leave my mark too.

A long hallway stretched out before me, peppered with large dark wooden doors. I wondered which one led to the king's chamber. What on earth would his walls contain? Did I want to find out? I'd think about that later. Dark wood wainscoting hugged the bottom portion of the deep burgundy walls which were, of course, covered in medieval type sconces. Way to mix centuries, Eric. Gothic sconces in an antebellum home. I wondered if he'd been the original owner of the sconces. Probably not. He was a nomadic Viking for many centuries, probably not the best lifestyle for picking up antiquities. Scattered amongst the sconces were animal head mounts. Now these I knew he had killed, all with his bare hands, even the full sized male lion that stood guard at the end of the long hall. That was something to think about. I was alone in a vast home with a man who could kill a lion with the flick of a fang. Why did that turn me on?

I found the guest room and upon entering was taken back. I expected this room to match the hallway: dark, mysterious, masculine, Eric-ish. But this was obviously Pam's room. It's cream walls and beige stone floor reflected a parchment-colored bedspread, sprinkled with cabbage roses. The four poster bed housed in this English-garden style room was high enough to require a foot stool and was even topped with a knit lace canopy. A knit lace canopy in the Viking vampire sheriff's man cave, it was a nice touch.

I quickly discarded my wet things and grabbed a plush white towel from the private bathroom. Two things about this I found strange. One, why would Vamp Pam need a bathroom? Did she brush her fangs before bed? Oh, for HER guests. The second point of wonderment was: white towels in a house accustomed to bloodplay? That was asking a lot of the laundry service.

I stood, wrapped in the cozy towel and opened the closet. Yup, Pam's stuff alright. She had the usual Fangtasia work garb: small, black, shiny, tight, short, filmy along with her day wear of polo shirts, velour sweatsuits, and designer jeans. All of it was a size Pam, not a size Sookie. One of my boobs alone would bust out the zipper on that navy Juicy Couture hoodie. Not to mention the Sevens.

Maybe the dresser held some secrets garments I could resurrect. No, more of the same. More of the same, that is, until I opened the bottom drawer. Jammies! Heaven! A drawer full of lounge pants, tank tops, loose tees, college sweatshirts (_College? Who did these come off of? Hopefully a willing co-ed_), and boxers. I was grabbing a pair of baby blue pin striped GAP jammies when something else in the drawer caught my eye. The delicate, beaded ivory strap hung tauntingly over a nondescript gray wifebeater. I fished it out and looked at this beautiful chemise. This was a wedding night kind of garment if I'd ever seen one. How did this get in amongst the, um, rubbish? I thought about how funny it would be if I came down in this instead of the uber-sexy jammies and tee combo, if I came down dressed as vampire bait. That'd be a kick, to lure Eric in and then throw on a sweatshirt and huddle into a cozy blanket.

That's where my train of thought suddenly derailed. My urge pulled me to put on the delicate chemise. It looked about my size, although it was rather short. Very short. That would get me, well, that would get me fucked. And fucked good from what I remembered. I stopped and shamed my brain for going there. I was still in love with Bill, though I knew it was over. I knew I was a free woman, so to speak, but this was Eric. It was complicated. This was Bill's boss, his friend (no, not friend, but something.) Besides, Eric was, well, Eric- deeply engulfed in vampire politics. I was deeply attracted to him, who wouldn't be? He was attracted to me, I literally felt that on many occasions, and his attentions seemed almost sincere, as sincere as the conniving 1000-year-old vampire could muster. But the clincher was this: aside from his breathtaking sexual appeal, did I actually like him as a "person", for lack of a better word? That's when I came to the startling conclusion that yes, I wanted Eric in all senses of the word.

I chose the ivory chemise over the loungewear. I didn't want to resist him anymore. That thought gave me butterflies as I realized that after tonight, my heart and body would probably ache from this decision.

Well, if I was going to hell, I may as well enjoy the ride.

I looked in the mirror and fluffed my hair and settled "the girls" into place. That was a very small place and they took up a lot of room. This outfit left nothing to the imagination. It wasn't meant to be worn for very long, it was meant to be taken off. I shuddered with the delight that thought held.

While I was a little lost in thought, Eric knocked on the door and opened it. I was surprised he would even knock on a door in the king's own castle. I looked at him, wondering what his reaction would be. He'd been trying to get into my pants for so long and now I had basically taken them off.

I never expected his reaction. He looked at me for a long time, his face blank. He did swallow and cleared his throat, but then went back to the same expressionless stare. It was like I was still standing in my wet work clothes. He couldn't care less that I was asking for it. My heart sank a bit and I suddenly felt a little dizzy. I was sad. In that moment I realized how much I wanted him. _Dammit. _I felt very deflated, but I then negated that thought._ His loss. At least I'll get a good night's sleep in Pam's big comfy bed. _I shrugged off the whole inner monologue I'd just had, it wasn't the right time I guess. He handed me a drink, bourbon of course, and took my free hand in his.

"Sookie, I want to give you the tour."

"Of course," I paused, trying to collect my thoughts. "I'd love to see it," I said as a took a swig of my cocktail. I'm not a drinker, but I was out of my element and more than a little shocked at this point in time.

We exited Pam's room and Eric led me down the hall towards the main, massive staircase. It spanned at least 10 feet across and gently curved downward, finally ending it's boundaries in an ornately inlaid dark wood foyer. I think they may have used this staircase in "Gone With the Wind." To the right of the stairs stood a superbly polished grand piano, surrounded by a vast two story living room encircled by wood paned windows. Of course, an enormous lit candelabra adorned the piano.

Eric led me down the stairs, slowly, cautiously. "I want to play f…for you," he said as he glanced over his shoulder. Our eyes met and I could see he was trying to diffuse a hint of lust behind them. Good. He did stumble a little with the word "for". It would have been more characteristically Eric for him to say "with".

We descended the stairs, and when Eric was on the ground floor and I was one step up, I suddenly stopped. I wanted him. Tonight. Now. I gently pulled our clasped hands and laid them on the small of my back while I leaned into him a little. His strong hand rested perfectly in the crook there. I reached my other hand (I had ditched my drink at the top of the stairs, I hope it didn't leave a ring on the banister) around his neck and bent his face to me. His eyes drank me in and filled with the Eric desire I'd come to know and love. Then I found his lips, and I kissed the hell out of Sheriff Northman.

I broke away for a moment and Eric's beautiful lips trailed after me. As he slowly opened his eyes, he smiled and exhaled with an "mmmmmmmmmmm," tracing his lips with his finger. He took the hand that still remained in his, kissing it softly while melting me with his eyes. Then he led me towards... the piano. _The piano? Shit, was he serious? He wants to play a song? I thought he'd be leading me over to that comfy couch with all of the pillows. What is with this whole Beethoven shtick?_

"Eric," I said, "I'm not in the mood for...listening."

He smiled back at me over one shoulder and kept leading me.

"I know," he said smugly. Smug in the sexiest way possible.

Once we got to the grand piano, he picked me up and sat me on top of it. My feet dangled over the side, just touching the keys of the high notes. Of course he'd set me on this side, Eric was a low notes kind of guy. He sat down, looked at me, then spread out his long fingers, doing a cracking-of-the-knuckles-motion. _Can vampires crack their knuckles? Does it make a sound? Bear? Woods?_ He placed his fingers on the keys and struck out a few notes of an unfamiliar tune. I quickly slid myself over, so that I was sitting directly in front of him. I placed both of my feet on his piano-attempting hands, almost daring him to keep playing. Without hesitation he looked me deep in the eyes and took one foot in each hand while slowly parting my legs as wide as they could go, placing my feet on the faraway keys. Then he resumed playing. I laid there propped up on my elbows, wondering where the hell this was going. I shifted my hips a little and gave him the "fuck me eyes." He smirked and continued to play, just for a minute, then stopped. He took a very deep breath (even though vamps don't need to breathe) and tried again. He was distracted. I was getting to him. Finally, geez. I was spread out like a buffet, on top of his piano. _Time for a Snookie Snack, Eric._ I was aching here. God I wanted to get pillaged by the Viking. He played some garbled mess for a second, then abruptly stopped.

"God, you win. You absolutely win," he said, kissing the top of my knee slowly, then casually laying his long, muscular arm across my thigh. "I'm a thousand-year-old Viking vampire who can control every emotion with calculated precision, but I am a puddle of goo in front of your ...charms," Eric said, eyeing me. "No more, mmm, playing," he continued, "I'm still overwhelmingly full of inspiration, not one ounce of it musical."

He stood up, then both of his hands grabbed my legs, wrapped them around his slender hips and slid me into his groin. With his hands on my ass he picked me up and laid me down on the piano bench. Then Sheriff Northman kissed the hell out of me.

I lay on the bench with the full weight of Eric on top of me. It was even better since this was the whole Eric; the whole package, so to speak. Before, during the memory loss time, he was a kinder, gentler Eric, but he wasn't the same. Of course being with him then blew my mind, but this was even better. Better because we were both fully aware of the situation.

Both of his hands were passionately intertwined into my hair and he was kissing me roughly at the base of my throat. My knees cradled his hips and my hands were above my head, gripping the edge of the piano bench.

"I need a taste of you or I'm going to explode," he said through extended fangs.

I arched my neck up, offering it to him, but that wasn't what he had in mind. He backed off a bit, straddling the piano bench and lifting my leg up to his mouth. With one hand under my knee and the other on my opposite hip, he bit gently on the fleshiest part of my inner thigh. A cry of unexpected ecstasy flowed out of me as I arched my back up with pleasure. As if on cue, Eric's fang tore apart the side of my panties and then the other, and then they vanished. His pants were gone equally as quickly. He'd shed his shirt after the rain incident. Still straddling the piano bench, he pulled my hips onto him and entered me in a quick fluid movement, like he'd been doing it for a hundred years. Eric filled me completely and I gripped my legs even tighter around this specimen of pure perfection. The rain fell hard. It was pounding all around us and the lights, what few of them there were, had gone out. It was the perfect cliche, a dark and stormy night, white flowy garment, candelabra, and fucking a vampire. The rain fell at an unrelenting pace and I couldn't hear anything but the pounding of it against the windows and roof. It was begging to come in at a ferocious pace. Over Eric's shoulder I saw a flash of lightning, and it illuminated him so that he looked like an angel, a dark angel full of fresh blood and sex. Eric's hands gripped my hips harder and I arched even higher, drawing myself even farther on top of him as we were surrounded by a cloudburst of thundering rain. The lightning flashed again, immediately followed by a loud clap of thunder drowning out the pounding of the rain, my heart, and all of the other noises that were coming from that room. Everything came unglued with that clap of thunder and I was lying breathless beneath the sheriff, unable and unwilling to move.

Eric's head lay on top of my stomach. The fragile chemise had been pushed up and now it cradled his head like a pillow. I traced the contours of his face and began stroking his beautiful blond hair. The weight of his head pressed into my loins and aIl I could feel was the passion sitting there, expelled, but ready to rise again at a moment's notice. I didn't have any words, and I wanted to lie there silently for countless more hours, but it was Eric who spoke first.

"Sookie," he said softly, "Sookie, I remember everything."

"So you remember putting Debbie's corpse in the pond?" I replied.

"What?" Eric said confused. "Well, yes, that too, but that's not what I mean. Sookie, I remember every detail of the time I spent with you, at your house... around your house, under your house." He smiled. "When I opened the bedroom door and saw you standing there it all came back to me. The feel of your touch, how your breasts felt in my hand, in my mouth. Your intoxicating scent and the taste of your...blood. When I saw you in that sexy nightgown I lost myself in a daze of remembrance. I was awestruck with the memories and the hope for a reenactment." We lay there for a while, surrounded by the hardening rain, basking in the cliche-ness of it all.

"Sookie, this all feels like a dream and I'm a vampire, we rarely dream. I feel all of you here with me, your body and your heart. I know you still feel something for Bill, but right now you are mine. "

"All yours," I said, stroking his face and sealing the statement with a lingering kiss, nibbling lightly on his bottom lip as I released it.

"It's been quite a night," Eric said. "You need some rest. We have a project to take care of tomorrow evening."

"Debbie?" I questioned.

"Debbie," Eric confirmed. "I have some preparations to make tonight. I will be awake until the dawn. You will sleep in Pam's room. She will surely enjoy your scent on her sheets the next time she's here," Eric smiled slyly. Pam was also a fan of my, um, "charms" (read: tits).

Eric rose from his temporary home on my belly and stood up, extending a hand for assistance. When I got to my feet he quickly picked me up as if I weighed no more than a dried leaf. I wrapped my arms around his strong neck and pressed my head into his shoulder. His strong biceps cradled my back and I was awash in a sense of delight, enjoying my Scarlett O'Hara moment.

He carried me up the stairs (My oh my, Rhett, I do declare) and returned me to the guest room. He deposited me on the luxurious queen bed and pulled the crisp white down comforter on top of me.

The sensation of the cool sheets against my warm skin caused goose bumps. That's all it took. Within seconds Eric's lips were on me again and we were warming up the icy sheets.

I remembered my reluctance to go with Eric that night, when he'd showed up at my house. I couldn't imagine being at home now. I couldn't fathom the idea I earlier wished to stay the night alone at my house. In fact I couldn't imagine not being here at all. I was saddened by that thought. There was no place I'd rather be, quite to the contrast of my prior thoughts about being alone with Eric. I wasn't going anywhere tonight.

In fact, I stayed there for the next three nights.


	3. Chapter 3

**KOOL THINGS**

Chapter 3. Dirty Deeds

I awoke that second evening to find I was once again in Eric's arms, and he was carrying me into his bathroom. A bath had already been drawn. He sat me down and the bubbles lapped at my boobs while Eric slipped in. This was the largest bathtub I'd ever seen. You could fit the whole staff of Merlottes in it! Right now, though, it was perfect with just the two of us. Eric rubbed me gently with a soapy sponge as he spoke.

"We are going to remove the Were remains from the pond. Pam's coming over to help. It will take two of us non-breathers and you."

"That sounds like a dirty job, Eric. Why are you washing me when it sounds like I will be full of mud in no time?" I asked.

"Oh, this is just for me," he replied as he slowly rubbed my boobs with the soapy loofah glove. I found the fact that Eric owned a loofah, much less a loofah glove, hysterical. Loofah's were for removing dead skin. He was one pile of dead skin, how does that even work? Another thing I noticed, and woman all over will agree with me, whenever you bathe with a man, your boobs get really, really, really clean. Never mind washing an elbow, men go right for twenty minutes of tit-washing. However, after forty minutes, we were both really, really, really clean.

"It appears to be cold out tonight, Sookie. I think you need a thorough warming before we begin," Eric said as he lifted me from the bath and wrapped a plush white towel around me. He led me into his bedroom while I noticed the difference between this room and the rest of the house. This room was Eric. It was far more modern than the rest of the home, and with much more luxurious amenities. A glass enclosed fireplace, which was lit, stood in the middle of the room, warming both the sleeping area and the adjacent study. The floor was slate and covered with a massive silk rug woven in a natural crocodile pattern. Against the north wall, flanked by two enormous stone end tables, stood a deep walnut king-sized bed in the shape of a sleigh. It was piled high with luxurious navy linens and covered with more pillows than could be counted. I giggled as I thought of Eric in Pottery Barn, discussing thread counts with a saleswoman. At the foot of the bed, a large fur throw blanket in a rich brown warmed the sheets underneath. Knowing Eric, this must have been bear skin, which of course he probably had as an appetizer one night, on a whim. Eric once compared feeding on animals to when humans got really drunk and went through a late night drive-thru. Junk food. Illuminating the room was a rustic chandelier made with antlers. So Eric. This room was "tribute to man." Make that "tribute to an alpha male, tribute to a king, tribute to king of the jungle. Tribute to the Sheriff of Area 5,"

I was already very warm and it had nothing to do with the fire. Just as we fell onto the bed, Pam appeared in the room.

"Stop or I'm joining you," she said with a smirk. I quickly wrapped myself in the bear blanket. Gross and plush at the same time. Eric just walked over to greet his progeny, Pam, just as casually as if he'd been fully dressed and we'd been playing bridge. He kissed her on the forehead while I took in the full backside view. Eric had one hell of an ass. Wow. None of this phased Pam in the least. Vampires and their confidence whilst naked, or around other nude beings, astounded me.

"Good evening, Sheriff," Pam greeted Eric. "I understand we are going fishing, so to speak."

"Yes, did you bring the nets?" Eric replied.

"Of course, and I even wore my old Loubs that I don't mind getting ruined. I'm still upset over my favorite pumps the maenad ruined."

"Yes Pam, we are all sorry that our dealings often interfere with your shoe's pristine condition," Eric joked with her. Both laughed and I noticed both were showing a little fang. Time for me to put on some clothes.

After we all were decent (if you could even say that) we met downstairs near the back door and Pam showed us all of the provision she'd brought. Two large fishing nets, many black plastic trash bags, several match light logs, and an ornate lighter, carved from bone (human? I wondered), and a six-pack of Tru-Blood, for the celebration afterwards I assumed, were spread before us. Eric took inventory and smiled at Pam.

"Good work, Pam, let's get started."

We stepped outside, of course it was raining lightly again. Would I ever be dry in this house? I snickered at my own innuendo. We walked towards the pond and I wondered what my part in dredging the pond would be. I couldn't breathe underwater, so I didn't think they'd ask me to help gather were-bits. I asked Eric if I was just there for company or if I had a duty.

Eric answered me. "Sookie, since Debbie's blood was spilt on your hands, your blood will be the only way to uncharm her. Once we scrape up all the major bits of her corpse, you will have to add your blood to the remains."

"Then we'll burn the Were bitch and send her back to hell," Pam said dryly. That sounded reasonable enough, at least I didn't have to go in the water.

Pam and Eric took the nets and walked casually into the pond, completely disappearing from my view. How deep was this pond? Both of these vamps were very tall. After a few minutes I noticed the mysterious Debbie light began to alter. It would grow fuzzy, disperse, reconvene and grow dimmer. This went on and on for about fifteen minutes. It began to rain harder and I thought to myself that it might be warmer in the pond. But eww, I did not want to be swimming around in any sort of water feature with a decomposing were corpse. That's worse than an expelled diaper in the community pool. Eventually all the light was gone and Eric and Pam resurfaced, their fishing nets full.

"Catch of the Day," Pam said as she dumped her nets contents into the trash bag I'd opened.

"The bag collected some rain water. Will that make her harder to burn?" I asked.

"No," they both replied. "Were corpses are more flammable than vampires."

"Hey Eric," Pam said, "We could have just ignited the pond, and saved ourselves from a load of laundry and a blow dry."

"No Pam," Eric replied, "I'm quite fond of this little pond. Besides, a suddenly incinerated pond would be much harder to explain away than a simple...'BBQ'." They both laughed.

Eric turned towards me with extended fangs. "Sookie, we need your blood now."

Of course we weren't going to just use a knife, I thought. I held out my wrist for him to take a bite. Pam eyed my vein and her fangs extended also.

"Nice, but not what I had in mind," Eric said as his arms encircled me and his mouth met my neck. "Mmmmm," he said while he lingered in the scent of my freshly scrubbed neck. Since I hadn't been with Eric since last night, this embrace did things to me I didn't think a simple caress could do. I was melting under his touch and felt the the warm surge of pleasure and pain as his fangs pierced my flesh, entering me slowly and forcefully. A groan escaped us. I couldn't tell if it came from him or me, probably both. Eric was also ready with his nether fang to enter...something else. I enjoyed that thought. Then he withdrew his lips and dipped me backwards and I dripped into the open bag. Pam watched longingly, just as hungry as Eric.

Eric reluctantly released me and lit the logs with the intricate lighter. He looked at the lighter with a smirk. "Longshadow?" he asked Pam.

"Of course," she replied. "He always was a bonehead, I kept a memento." They both smiled and Eric lit the "trash".

In an instant, the trash bag and its contents were completely engulfed in deep red flames, then an instant later they were gone. Only a trail of smoke reached through the tree tops off into the wet sky.

"Take that, Pond Scum!" I shouted to the were bitch who three times had attempted to kill me. Ah, closure.

We evaluated the pond, it was completely back to it's natural state and I could read a slight smile of relief on Eric's face. Eric and Pam toasted each other with their freshly opened bottles of Tru-Blood. Pam offered me a sip. I declined and hoped for a cup of tea, once we were inside.

After Pam left, Eric and I scurried back up to his bedroom and picked up exactly where we'd left off.


	4. Chapter 4

**KOOL THINGS**

Chapter 4. Dinner

After two nights of playing at the adult Disneyland (i.e. the happiest place on earth) I had to face the fact that I was going into work today. I awoke in Eric's bed, alone, in the late morning to find he'd sent out for fresh coffee and bagels. Why did I find a vampire buying bagels funny? It didn't matter, they were delicious. I gathered up my belongings and geared up for the drive back to my house. This was going to be depressing. It was a long drive and the weather was gloomy. This was so strange. Two days ago, the allure of Eric was a mere thought in the back of my mind. I wasn't sure how I felt about him being at the core of my thoughts and emotions. Even the thought of seeing my friends Arlene and Tara, the other Merlottes waitresses, the usual customers, and the best boss in the world, Sam, couldn't shake me out of the doldrums. Eric had already gone into his coffin before I woke, so I didn't get a chance to say "goodbye/good morning/good night."

I arrived at my house and did the usual things: checked the mail, showered, made even more coffee, got dressed for work. Eric had invited me back tonight, so I had that to look forward to. This also figured into my wardrobe plan. Yes, it was pretty underwear and lacy bra night for Sookie. With a renewed energy from that thought, I fixed my hair and applied my makeup. I was feeling fresh when I left for work. This made it easier to shut out the minds that were clamoring at me in Merlottes. It was a tedious shift, only because I was anxious to get back to Eric. Bill didn't even cross my mind. Well, maybe a passing thought that only reminded me that he hadn't popped into consciousness, as he often did.

My shift dragged on and on. Relentless. I was plagued with a hunger for Eric I had never known. Work was usually the high point of my day, I enjoyed the routine of seeing familiar faces and going through the normal motions. Tonight was different. I'd spent two nights out of the ordinary, and now the ordinary seemed relentlessly trivial. I ached for Eric in both my body and heart. I remembered how his hands felt, caressing both breasts in one and then releasing them with soft languid kisses. God, when was I off? At least my shift at Merlottes passed the hours while Eric slept. I realized it would be even more torturous to be lying in his house, just waiting for him to awaken.

Finally, it was seven o'clock and I was finished. The sun had set hours ago and the deep indigo sky indicated that my vampire would be awake when I returned. However, threatening dark gray clouds lapped vigorously at the midnight blue sky, quickly filling it. By the time it took me to throw off my Merlottes apron, grab my purse, and say my good byes to my boss, Sam, the sky had completely filled with ominous rain clouds. The first few drops pricked my face as I quickly scurried to my car. Once I got in, I turned on the engine and waited for the car to heat up. In that time, the few droplets of rain quickly became a downpour, engulfing me in a sea of blurred vision. This would be difficult to drive in. I should go straight home and wait it out. Of course I couldn't do this, I needed the Viking in a way no thunderstorm could stop.

I gassed it to Shreveport, the rain was no match for a woman in lust. On my way there I heard the familiar "bing bong" of a text message. Once I was stopped at a light (hey ya'll, safety first) I checked my messages to find one from Eric. It read, "Power's out. Come in. Front Door. Find me."

Now what the hell did that mean? Even though I had spent the previous two nights in his wondrous mansion, I had no idea how to find anything in that place, let alone in the dark. For Pete's sake I had basically just seen a few bedrooms and a piano, I thought with a blush upon my cheeks.

I pulled up to the great mansion, the ferocious rainstorm surrounding me. How would I get from my car to the front door without getting drenched? Even though the occupant was cold, I knew the second I saw him I'd be warmed thoroughly. Screw the rain, wet and cold was a petty pay off for the scenario that awaited me on the other side of the door.

I turned the great knob and pushed one of the massive oak doors. It creaked open, revealing to me a dark foyer, a bit frightening. I took one bold step in, thinking my intuition would lead me directly to Eric. I tried to use my mind to search for the void of his mind, but I couldn't. I was, well, afraid of the dark. Yet here I was, screwing "the dark." When I set foot inside the mansion and shut the door behind me, I realized I was standing all alone in a completely dark home of a so-called monster. The monster part wasn't what frightened me, it was the fact that I didn't know what awaited me. Would Eric try to scare me? Pop out like a cheap horror movie trick, to take me by knife point into a closet? No. That wasn't his style. He liked to make me work. He would want me to explore the house, afraid and alone in the dark, searching for him to give me release. And that is exactly what I did. The rain grew even louder, and this time there were no candles to guide me. I passed by the massive piano, smiled and walked through towards the kitchen. He was probably hiding in there, expecting me not to look in the kitchen. It was, after all, the least used place in a vampire's home, seeing as they didn't eat... food. I passed through the desolate kitchen, nothing. I looked at the back staircase. Stairs were always a little frightening, no matter if they belonged to a human or vamp, in light or dark. They always led to an unforeseen consequence. Facing my fear, I ascended the stairs quickly, hoping I could just pop my head in each room until I found Eric. I was immensely freaked out by the time I reached the top stairs. I knew I couldn't look in each room. I had seen too many horror flicks in my day and my adrenaline pumped too hard for me to contemplate opening strange doors. I beelined it to Eric's room, hoping to god he was lying there, waiting for me, naked, with a smile. I burst through his door, only to find an empty room. My heart sank with disappointment, then quickly swelled with fear. Where was he? I didn't know of any more rooms. I backed out of Eric's bedroom, although it took all of my resistance not to lie on his bed and wait for him to find me. How long would I lie there, though? I knew he could out wait me.

I descended the stairs, determined to find him. Instead of turning toward the piano room, I made a left, and that took me down a hallway I'd never seen before. I passed through the dark panelled hall and began to glimpse a slight flickering of light coming from the end. Finally I thought, last stone unturned. I could feel Eric was near that light. I pressed on towards it, my pace picking up with this new realization. At the end of the hall I turned to my right, and the most magnificent spread lay before my eyes.

The dining room was awash in a sea of candles, all enclosed in deep red glass votives. More candles than I could count lined the hutch, the mantles, the shelves, and the book cases. The chandelier was a mass of faux pillar candles in different shapes and sizes, contained on a long rectangular bronze base blazing from above. The deep burgundy damask drapes were tied back with massive gold cords that screamed old school bourgeois. Vases of red roses lined the walls and dining table. Bottles of wine lined the buffet . The two head chairs that flanked the ends of the table were covered with deep red covers. The lengths of the table were bordered by benches. "Ooh, more benches" I thought and smiled. It was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen, but nothing could compare to the dining room table's centerpiece.

Underneath the glow of a hundred candles, Eric lay sprawled out lengthwise on the massive table. He was so long his left leg hung over the side, his foot gently kicking the bench beneath the table, while his other leg rested on the seat of the head chair. His face turned toward me, softly smiling, wearing only black wool pants that hung low, very low, very very low, off of his angular hips. I noticed how his delectable hip bones jutted out above his waistband, beckoning me to come gnaw on them. Eric's eyes met mine, I smiled and quickly scurried to him. I climbed up on the long bench seat. "I'm not dressed for dinner," I said, and quickly ripped off my shirt and bra. I licked his jutting left hip bone, as I took it in my mouth and grazed it with my teeth. Eric undulated slightly and uttered a soft moan. My lips traced the topography of the hip bone and moved to the strong "V" of his lower abdomen down to his black pants. Noticing his hands were underneath him, and he hadn't yet touched me with them, I sensed the theme of the evening. I softly kissed my way from his navel down, way down, to his waistband. Realizing his pants' button was no match for me, I took it between my teeth and pressed my tongue to it. After a little force, the button slipped through the hole and another inch of Eric's lower abdomen was revealed. I beamed with anticipation. I flicked the tip of the zipper up with my tongue. When it was fully extended, I grabbed it between my front teeth and pulled down. Of course Eric didn't have on anything underneath so he exploded out of the zipper. I teased Eric with my lips and tongue briefly while he moaned, gripped my head, and sat up.

"Not yet, love, you first," he said.

His pants clung desperately to his toned hips, even they didn't want to let go of this creature that embodied raw sexual appeal. Eric put his hands on my slender waist, looked me in the eye and began to explore my tits. His hands slowly worked their way up, cupping my breasts as his tongue licked the area between them. I felt my hips move towards him and he quickly placed me how he wanted me. We were both on top of the dining room table, however, Eric was in control. Shock. He placed me on my knees in the middle of the table. With one quick movement, he arched backwards and grabbed a curtain tieback from the drape. In a flash, he was behind me and had both of my hands clasped into his. He raised my willingly imprisoned hands above my head while his other hand gripped my hip, stilling me into place. He gently knotted the fabric around my wrists, binding me, and then fastened the loose end to the chandelier. Here I was, kneeling on Eric's table, hands above me, bound to the chandelier, as he moved behind me. He reached one languid arm over to the hutch and grabbed a candle. He held it over my breasts and tipped it slightly, the wax running down my delicate skin. I gasped with both pleasure and pain. The white heat of the candle awakened my flesh and my senses, making everything come to life even more in a vibrant tingle. I bent my head back and looked at Eric behind me.

He looked down at me and smiled. " I thought you might like that," he said as he reached over to the hutch in the same manner and procured a bottle of opened wine. He poured it over the reddening warmth of my breasts and I felt it dripping down my tits, cooling them, and then it collected into a little fissure running down my stomach. Eric quickly lapped up the dripping wine, completely, then moved back to his former stance behind me. Eric placed one knee between my legs and slowly moved them further apart. Both of his hands rested on my hips, and once I was exactly in the position he wanted, his hands began to move, although mine could not. One hand clung to my hip while the other reached around and felt it's way along my stomach and up to my breasts. He bit my neck slightly, pulling me back into him. My chin rose and my eyes closed. He then moved his hand south, tracing my soft belly all the way down. As his hand lingered here, his knee passed between my legs again and opened them slightly more. He slid his hand down and stroked me as my eyes rolled back into my head. He kissed my shoulder and continued. I hoped to god he would enter but he didn't. Instead, he kissed the back of my neck, working his way down my spine. He gave a quick, playful bite to my ass and then laid down, his back on the table, and scooted himself between my legs. I was bound over him. All of me hanging, just out of reach from his mouth.

"Now I'm going to show you what a vampire can really do," Eric said.

His tongue and lips danced over the surface of my inner thighs. I arched back with the sensation. Then he found me, licking as I moaned. His tongue was hard and purposeful and knew exactly what it was doing. Just as I was about to come, I felt fang, and he bit. He bit right on my soft, juicy center and my head almost exploded with a blinding white light that eclipsed my vision. I struggled against my restraints, desperate to lock my hands on to his head and keep him there, drive my nails into his flesh. But I was bound and I was at his mercy. His tongue lingered and I lost myself again in the pleasure. Then he dragged his kiss all the way up my stomach and neck with that magnificent tongue. When we were face to face, knee to knee, he unbound my hands with his fangs and encircled my waist, pulling me into him. I refused and used both of my hands to push him back down onto the table. Now he lay there for my benefit. I gripped him and took him into my mouth, rubbing him as I sucked. In a matter of seconds he was clenched tightly and ready to come.

"Not yet," I said as I looked into his eyes.

He looked up at me and said, "As you wish."

I pulled him up by the shoulders and then turned around. He knew what I wanted and gripped my hips. Then one hand found my hair and he pulled it backwards. I tilted my head back to him and we christened Mr. Northmans' antique dining room table.

After a long moan, I rolled over and cuddled Eric, finally lying down on the dining room table. His arms hugged me as he said, "I can't go back to everynight life without you here always." I kissed him and drifted off to sleep. I was exhausted and needed to dream about this night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sookie POV**

Every morning that I woke up here I was in a different spot. I rose from the plush overstuffed sofa, looked around the family room and noticed what was showing on the very large flat screen TV. Martha Stewart was making eyeball soup, consisting of mini mozzarella balls and sliced green olives for pupils, floating and bobbing in a tomato broth. It actually looked good. Today was Halloween after all. Funny thing, this time last year I'd actually dressed up as a vampire, complete with cheap plastic fangs, and cheap plastic cape. I laughed to myself now, wondering which vampires I now knew ever wore a cape. Pam, most likely. But it was surely not worn in a Dracula context. Pam would have worn it open, on horseback, with nothing underneath, wearing riding boots and chasing frightened and excited villagers through a darkened forest. I think Pam may have been lady Godiva. I'd have to ask her about that one day.

I gathered my belongings and paused to look at the amber tinged ray of sunlight that was coming in through the kitchen window. The dust danced around in the light, floating almost like snowflakes, while outside a breeze blew autumn colored leaves from an old oak tree. It was such a beautiful sight, and my heart sank a bit thinking that no one in this house or my vampire circle would ever see it. Eric, Pam, and even Bill had said their good byes to the light many years ago. The thought of never seeing a ray of morning sun on any of their beautiful faces stung.

I left the house and drove back into the living world. I was headed in to work today, and Eric had invited me back to his bar, Fangtasia, when my shift was through. Halloween was always a fun day at Merlottes. Arlene and I had hung up sweet-faced pumpkins, black cats, and friendly ghosts all around. Sam gave us a hard time about them being a bit juvenile for a bar, but we put them up anyway. I'm sure it would be in great contrast to the decorations I would see tonight at the vampire bar. Heck, they probably had real skeletons, maybe drunks who couldn't pay their bar tab. That kind of made me wonder about some bar practices at Fangtasia. _Were the "Bloody Marys" for humans or vamps? _

Sam was in his traditional cowboy costume. He sure could fill out those Wranglers. And although I didn't want to admit it, the hat totally did it for me.

"Good morning, Sam," I said in my usual perky tone.

"Hey Sook, happy Halloween. You look.. different. Blonder, maybe? Whatever it is, you look great. But sorry chère, you still have to change." He smiled, pointed to his office, and said, "Your costume is in there, Sookie."

"Sure Sam, I love costumes." I said sincerely. It's true, I enjoyed Halloween and playing dress up. Sam always had a cute and wholesome costume for me. Unlike our Merlotte's shorts and tees, our Halloween costumes were usually longer and looser. It was nice to not have to squeeze into an outfit to work. Today, however, that had changed. _What happened to the long black dress from last year's vampire outfit? _ I pulled on my costume and went out to give Sam a piece of my mind (although I think Sam clearly wanted a piece of something else.)

"Sam, what's with the outfit?" I asked, settling my boobs into the gathered white underblouse.

"I thought it would look good, with your hair and all. Besides, it's bar themed." Sam answered. "Come here Sook, I'll help you with your pigtails. I have a sister, I know how to braid."

I smiled, noting his enthusiasm, and walked over to him, smoothing the poof of my blue dirndl. I knew what it was called for two reasons: I worked in a bar and knew thousands of useless bits of trivia, and a few weeks ago I overheard Sam's fuzzy, part-German part-shifter brain say "yeah, drindl, that'll work." _(Hey, why didn't Sam turn into a German Shepherd instead of a collie? Stay true to his roots...)_

"Okay Sam, St. Pauli girl me," I said as I stood in front of him, handing him my hairbrush.

Sam gathered my long hair into a ponytail at the base of my neck and began to brush with slow, even strokes. I felt a tingling feeling on the back of my neck when the air hit it as he parted my hair, draping one side over my shoulder and brushing through the other. I swallowed hard as I felt Sam's warm knuckles against the side of my throat. He began to braid, lightly tugging the strands into place. He worked slowly, meticulously, and I enjoyed the sensuous feeling of having my hair played with by a very attractive man. He finished one side and carefully laid the braid over my shoulder. He brushed some stray hairs from my neck with his hand as I shivered. He laid his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it as he said softly and deeply, "Other side."

I was enjoying this much more than I should. I wondered if it had been some residual sex hormones left over from playtime with Eric. No, I have always been attracted to Sam and, well, this was very gratifying, I may as well ride it out. Sam worked on the other braid and I went over some of our memories in my head. I didn't want to listen in on Sam's thoughts right now, I was a little afraid of what I might hear. I didn't think I wanted to know the details of our activity from his point of view. After all, from his angle, I was pretty sure he could see down my blouse. The best way I found to tune out someone else's thoughts was to have pleasurable ones of my own. After he finished with the braid, and I cursed that the task was completed, he spoke.

"I know that Bill leaving has been rough. You sure have put on a brave face here at work. I thought maybe you'd want to leave, since you and he met here and made a lot of memories within these walls. I am grateful to have you here."

As he said this, with both hands he smoothed the braids down my shoulders and left his hands perched there.

"Sam, I love it here. I'm not going anywhere. You are one of my favorite people. Besides, I can't get enough of your snappy shirts," I said and smiled as I placed my hands on top of his. That way I could feel him and read him quite easily. Turns out, I did want to hear his thoughts after all.

We stood there in silence, lost in the moment, my head bowed forward, hands on his. As he softly breathed over me, I felt him thinking what it would be like to kiss me again. I swallowed and kneaded his hands a little in answer to his thoughts. I was remembering how warm and good he felt on my lips. A slight moan escaped me and it encouraged Sam's thoughts to proceed.

_Are you with me? _He thought. _Are you reading me? _

_Absolutely _I thought, and told him so with a squeeze to his hands.

Sam thought of his lips gracing the back of my neck. He thought how they would feel on my warm skin. He pictured my head turning, my mouth meeting his. He remembered I tasted like apricots and sunshine. He wanted to gently nibble on my soft, plump lower lip. His fingers wanted to travel down my arms and back up my chest. As I felt his imagination of what my large breasts would feel like, cupped in his hand, I gasped a little, feeling the intensity. All of a sudden I heard the gravel move outside the entrance, and felt another mind, intruding on our scene. We froze.

Lafayette, our cook, walked into the bar, took one look at the cowboy and the bar maid and gave us his best, "Mmmmmmmmm Humph. You hookuh's better not be havin' me in no twisted horse get up or somethin'."

"No Lafayette, your costume is hanging in the kitchen. You'll be alright," Sam told him.

Lafayette unzipped the black garment bag.

"Dayummm, girlfriend you can pick 'em!" Lafayette said to Sam as he quickly changed into his Glinda-the-Good-Witch-gone-naughty costume. Lafayette loved to sparkle.

**Pam's POV Fangtasia Bar**

Eric asked me to do something stupid. I had worked all the previous evening on the idiotic decorations and accessorizing the Halloween costumes he'd procured for the three of us. I kept them zipped up in garment bags, I did not want to wear mine. But there they hung, in Eric's office, taunting me. Prick. And besides being trite, these decorations were simply annoying. After hanging up a colony of glittery bats, my hands sparkled all over. _Great, it looks like I've been stroking a Cullen._

"It's going to be a busy night," Eric said, "Do we have enough A-?"

"Yes Eric, we are well stocked. And the new dancers are well stacked. Everything is all set."

Eric sat down on his throne, smiling. He liked his new little Sookie plaything. I had to admit that she did improve his mood. Also, he was out of the bar a little more often. I enjoyed being in charge when he was gone, even if he did ask about every little detail upon his return. _I'm a bitch Eric, I'm well equipped for running a business. _

"Pam, get me the receipts from Tuesday," Eric said abruptly.

I pulled a chair up and placed it in front of the sheriff. I sat perched on the very edge of the seat, crossed my legs and looked at him provocatively. I raised one of my legs and began teasingly stroking his thigh with the toe of my high heeled shoe. I gradually crept up higher and higher. Eric shifted in his chair, looking at me quizzically. It had been over seventy years since we had been together carnally. It was the war, and the circumstances were definitely different. He shifted his hips, closed his eyes and slyly smiled. I worked my way up and nudged the growing bulge in his pants with my toe. His eyes were on me again, taunting me to go further. So I did. I rubbed him with my shoe and gradually applied more pressure. He moaned a little. I pressed harder, and then harder. Eric flinched a bit. I pressed even harder, kneading his crotch with my pointed toe, watching his expression turn into a grimace. Then I stood up and pressed the full weight of my leg onto his cock. His eyes bulged in pain and he grunted lowly. With another deep push I looked him in the eye and said, "You didn't say please."

With that I walked away, smugly, to put on my stupid Halloween costume.

Eric grabbed me by the waist, threw me over his shoulder and flung me down onto the bar.

"Oh Eric, don't be so dramatic," I said.

He turned me onto my stomach and pulled my black cocktail dress up. His hand gripped my long hair into a ponytail and pulled back my head. He leaned down and whispered into my ear, "My dear, insubordination gets you in trouble." I raised my eyebrow as I bit my lip a little with my extended fang. I enjoyed pushing Eric's buttons. With his free hand he reached over the bar and grabbed a bottle of honey. _Honey? Interesting. Well we have Ginger... why not honey? _He poured it onto the small of my back, its thick gooeyness spread slowly over my skin. Eric bent down and licked it around, spreading it evenly over my spine and hips. I gripped the bar, enjoying the Viking's mouth on me.

Then he smacked my ass and left Fangtasia. _Damn, he knows I don't like to be left... sticky._

**Sookie's POV**

We worked through the afternoon and into the early evening. I caught Sam's eye a few times but didn't open my mind to read his. I absolutely loved where we'd left off and I didn't want any daily musings to taint it. The thing with Sam is, although we had gone on a date in the past, as well as had more than a few close moments, our friendship didn't strain. Well, at least it didn't on my end. I never read any resentment or regret in Sam's thoughts either. I think in our hearts we both knew we were best suited as friends ... but dammit if they're weren't those nights when we couldn't keep our minds off of each other.

My shift ended at 7:30 and I quickly changed back into my regular clothes and brushed out my hair. Eric would be here soon to pick me up. I didn't want him seeing the St. Pauli girl Sookie, afraid he may have me work at his bar too. Although, I did make a hell of a lot of tips that night, maybe Fangtasia would be the same. _It's gotta be that lace up bodice, it pushed 'the girls' up to my throat. _At eight o'clock sharp, Eric came into Merlottes to pick me up.

I gave Sam a hug and a quick peck on the cheek while he and Eric eyefucked each other for intimidation purposes. I heard both of them growl under their breaths.

Sam leaned in and said, "Sookie, another vampire? Don't you think you should take a break?"

I looked at Sam's disappointed eyes. My best and somewhat overly protective friend was concerned for me. He didn't want anything to happen to my heart, or my neck, hell, or my ass.

"Probably," I said as I left with Eric.

**Pam's POV**

Eric had a lot of papers piled on his desk, I noticed underneath my peacock blue Jimmy Choo, which was leaving a heel indent on top of the stack. I leaned back, smiling, feeling the comfort of Eric's office chair. I was pleased to be leaving a sticky ass print on the black leather.

"Slower, Yvetta."

I was not looking forward to the costumes. Eric had a twisted sense of humor. Even the usual crap he had me wear at Fangtasia isn't as bad as what I would be putting on my body tonight. I could put up with the latex corsets and leather cuffs, even the fish net gloves had their place (although I thought the trashcan would be a better place), but this costume was positively indecent.

"Ooooooh, nice. Yes."

Eric appeared in the doorway and raised a brow.

"You missed a spot, Yvetta," Eric said, taking in the sight. "If their is any honey left on that chair, I'll have both of your asses for breakfast."

"You heard him sweetie, keep going, you're doing a fine job," I said with my hand on top of Yvetta's dark hair, keeping her firmly in place between my legs.

"We're opening in ten minutes, you need to be ready," Eric said.

I looked down at Yvetta, admiring her work. "Give me fifteen," I replied.

**Sookie's POV **

We sat at the bar and caught up on the day and evening. I had a gin and tonic while Eric drank a True Blood. Once we'd finished our cocktails, Eric informed me that he had a costume for me. Since he was very unpredictable, but also very male, I could only imagine what he had in store for me. We walked over to his office and he said, "Pam will help you out."

After Yvetta was dismissed, I entered and asked Pam for my costume. Eric left Pam and I to get changed in his office.

"Here you go, Sookie," she said as she rolled her eyes. "At least yours has a ruler to play with."

_Ruler, _I thought._ What in the world... _I unzipped the garment bag to find Eric's version of a cruel joke. Inside, a small white button down shirt, navy cardigan sweater, saddle shoes, knee socks, black neck tie, and short plaid pleated skirt hung, waiting for me to put them on.

"Ugh, is he serious?" I asked Pam as I turned around to look at her.

"Unfortunately," Pam replyed as she shimmied into the long, black, shapeless garment in her possession.

"Oh, and you are supposed to put your hair in pigtails."

Great, more pigtails. I'm spending the entire holiday as a stereotypical male fantasy.

_This is so wrong,_ I thought as I buttoned the blouse that was a size (or two) too small for me. Well, buttoned some of it. Once I was fully dressed in my costume, I turned around to look at Pam. I muffled a snicker and thought at least mine wasn't the worst. Pam was dressed in a solid black nun's habit, complete with large belly bump and, the worst part of it for Pam, sensible shoes.

Just as Pam and I were eyeing each other and snickering Eric appeared in the doorway, dressed as a priest. Perfect. We had me as the Catholic school girl, Pam the pregnant nun, and Eric the naughty priest. What a trio, we were definitely candidates for "Who's Going to Hell?"

There was already a line outside of Fangtasia when Chow opened the doors in his dead Pope John Paul the somethingth costume, complete with decomposition. We hadn't been out amongst people, Eric and I, in the past few days. I'd forgotten how other women, and men, looked at him. Women undressed Fr. Eric with their eyes as he ignored them, as he always did. He was like an untouchable presence only meant for display and intimidation. I felt a little possessive, and I liked it. When Eric would come over and talk to me, flirtatiously, the fangbangers lasciviously drooled over him and eyed me intensely. I felt pretty fantastic, since you know you look good when other women give you dirty looks.

I thought back to my afternoon incident with Sam and remembered it almost like it was a hazy dream. _What had happened? Did we mind-make out? This gives new meaning to the term 'mindfuck'. _Sad to say, once Eric entered Merlottes all visions of any other men left my consciousness. He was like an uneclipsable sun. I was enjoying watching him on his throne, he almost looked like he was holding court. He observed the patrons, keeping an eye out for trouble and keeping a cool aloof presence that contributed to his mystique. I was indulging in another gin and tonic at the bar, making small talk with Pope Chow. I was also watching Pam putting scores of obnoxious fraternity boys in their place while eyeing a coquettishly dressed Little Red Riding Hood. So Pam.

Watching her flirt brought a smile to my face. She was definitely a master. Pam could toss her hair back and throw out a witty but insulting comment that was also an innuendo with the ease of hot knife through butter. I was a horrible flirt, but I could throw out a good insult now and again, even if they were hick-natured.

It looked like I was going to get my chance to practice my Pam-ism. A young man dressed as Pennywise from "It" sat down at the empty stool next to me. In fact, the stools on either side of me had been empty all evening. It seemed everyone in the place knew I was Eric's. Again, vampires equal possessive. No one dared approach me, except this poor lost soul who just gave me the eye.

"School's out I see," he said, his eyes drifting downward.

"Not for you, Bozo," I replied and smacked his knuckles with the metal ruler I had been given as part of my costume. I was sure this wasn't its intended purpose, but nonetheless.

"I'm sorry *hiccup* I just wanted to say 'Happy Halloween'... or 'Happy Halloweenie.' Get it?" He laughed to himself.

"Watch it or I'll get my teacher. I think Fr. Eric will do more than tap you with a ruler. He'll go Exorcist priest on you."

"You're funny, and pre... *hiccup* ...tty."

"Pennywise" clumsily reached for me and fell onto the floor, flat on his face. Eric had been watching all of this from the Fangtasia stage. Once Bozo moved towards me, the sheriff was on his feet and at my side in an instant. No one messed with the sheriff, or his woman.

"Clown," he said as he kicked the fallen man out of the way and leaned in close to me.

"Well, my my my, Miss Stackhouse, you seem to have the men falling at your feet this evening. I think it's my turn to sweep you off of them."

Eric picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and began walking toward his office carrying me as if I were his prisoner. I jokingly squirmed, laughed and said, "Put me down you big holy oaf." Then I smacked him on the bottom with my ruler - _yes, this is what is was for - _and looked up at the entrance to the bar.

My jaw hit the floor, as did that of the "person" whom I stood looking at.

Bill Compton stood in the doorway of Fangtasia, astonished to see my provocative exit with Eric.

And Bill was not alone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sookie POV:*******************

"I see your earlobe grew back, Eric."

"Yes, Alice, and I see your ankle straightened as well." Eric said to the stunning pixie-like vampire who stood in the doorway next to Bill, looking at us. The harsh yellow fluorescent light of the patio gleamed against Bill and the stranger's backs illuminating them in an odd lighted halo. Both being vampires, they still looked stunning, even under the hideous fluorescents that grotesquely distorted us humans. Damn vampires and their eternal flawlessness.

She smiled, looking down while she extended her slender, dancer-like leg and moved her ankle in a circle.

"Good as new!" She said. "I'm no match for a wooden stage." Alice grinned impishly at Eric and then winked at me. Here stood a feisty but petite dark haired beauty, with a chin length hair cut, exquisitely clad in a modern wrap dress, standing on the legs of what could be a professional ballerina's, accompanying my ex boyfriend and seemingly knowing my current fling. I don't know why, but I liked her immediately.

Bill took in the sight before him. Us. Us in our Halloween costumes. Eric set me down gently back on my feet. Bill's brows furrowed and I could practically see his unnecessary breath seething out of his nostrils like a mad bull's. Eric, seeing Bill's flustered state, procured his usual smirk as Bill cringed. Shaking himself briefly back into composure, Bill spoke.

"Sookie, this is Alice. I knew a friend of hers back in the war. It seems her...," He paused. "... _our _friend, has gone missing." Bill said, while he gave a sideways look at Eric, clearly speculating at just how these two seemed to know each other. He went on to explain that whilst in Peru he had been passing his evenings in a small wine bar, attempting to conduct the business he was sent to attend to. He knew it was for the best that he was in Peru, though he longed for Sookie, and to be back in Bon Temps, attempting to make amends which he knew would be to no avail. What used to be the space of his guts wrenched up with regret and despair. Being away from her was agony, but being back, not being able to be with her was torturous. He knew he wronged her. He knew he deserved every bit of suffering he endured and was quite certain he would suffer with it for eternity. Her life would end in the normal human lifespan and his would continue in the same unchanging manner, his grief never to be released in the bliss of death.

Bill recounted the story of he and Alice's meeting. One evening, while waiting for his business associates to arrive, his "heart" feeling heavier than usual with memories of Sookie, the door to the establishment opened in a rush and there Alice stood. The light wind blew around her, fluttering her delicate skirt in waves of thin red silk. Her tear stained face scanned the bar and fixed on him. Gathering her composure, she walked toward him with grace and a purpose, stopping at his table, exhaling deeply, as though a huge relief had been met. He, quite conversely, felt a rise of anxiety, fear, and surprisingly, considering his emotional state, other things.

"There you are!" She spoke. "You are a hard man to track, Bill Compton." Startled at the use of his name, Bill recoiled and sat wide eyed, open mouthed, wondering what to say. Finally his words found him.

"She sent you?" He asked.

"Yes. She knew only you could help me. You had the right..." Alice paused, "...friends". She said with an air of sarcasm. Bill was completely intrigued, glad at the immediate distraction from his own grief, but guarded none the less. He knew this had something to do with Eric and felt a twinge of ice run up his already cold spine. No one used the term "friends" like that without referring to the person you cared least about.

There were a thousand reasons Bill loathed Eric. Right now the one fresh on his mind was the fact that Eric had outed him to Sookie. Informed her that Queen Sophie Anne had sent her hired employee, Bill, as a procurer for Sookie's part fairy blood. This had been the catalyst to their hasty parting. It topped the list of reasons to keep he and Eric enemies, but one, a rather important one, and the one probably corresponding to the situation that presently sat before him, that kept them linked.

"Please have a seat, " Bill gestured to the chair and she obliged. "Continue, Miss..." Bill said.

"Cullen. Alice Cullen. I'm here because my dear friend, practically my brother, has gone missing. He was searching for _you_ when he..." The beautiful golden eyes began to well up with tears. "... disappeared." She continued, choking back another round of stifled sobs. Her eyes held him in a pleading look that screamed, "help me". He took her hand from her lap and held it gently in his own. It seemed that as of late, women always seemed to be crying in near proximity to him. He was relieved that at least he wasn't the source of this one's tears. Yet. _Just wait. The night is young. _He thought as he contemplated that he may be the source of more tears if he was, in fact, unable to help this beautiful creature with her mission.

He gently stroked the back of her velvet hand, enjoying the skin and sweet perfume of female skin.

"Please continue, Miss Cullen," he urged.

"Well, Jas had been scared. Sacred by... something. He said he needed to find his maker for answers."

"Jas, you mean Jasper Hale, I assume?" Bill broke in.

Alice nodded.

"Jas said he was coming to Bon Temps to seek his maker's counsel on a ...situation." She hesitated slightly.

"What is the situation?" Bill encouraged, absorbing the fear and anxiety that Alice was exuding.

As she continued her story Bill watched in fascination as her carefully drawn rose bud of a pout mouthed the words. He then thought of Sookie's full lips and what they had felt like on his own. On his skin. On his neck. On his bare shoulders. On... everything. He sighed, appropriately enough at just the right time to seem sympathetic to Alice's recount.

"You know I'm not _his_ maker, correct?" Bill questioned Alice.

"Yes. I do. I do know the story though," she answered.

Bill exhaled with a breath long held and smiled, "Of course I will help, Miss Cullen."

She looked at him, obviously relieved, cocked her head to one side raised an eyebrow and stated with more than a hint of flirtation, "I guess that makes us partners, Mr. Compton." She toyed as her lips drew up into a sly smile and her delicate foot bobbed slightly over her crossed leg.

Bill's Adam's apple began to bob, nervously. _What in the world? He doesn't swallow. Or does he, that'd be a new aspect to Bill I didn't know about. _I snickered to myself. He looked at me with glassy eyes armed with remorse and something... hesitation? What else did he mean to say. Flickering from me to Eric, his emotion filled eyes started to tell more of the story, even before he spoke the words.

"Seeing you two, t...together, makes this even harder to say," Bill began.

Oh God, what is it now. Is he going to give me a lecture on being with Eric, how Eric is evil and Bill is the good vampire? _I don't think so, Buddy._ _You abandoned this ship the minute you met me. I never stood a chance, being I was just your pet project._ Bill Compton could S_uck It! _

But a reproach wasn't what followed.

"Eric," Bill paused, and _breathed?_ Then started again. "Eric, I need to tell you something. Something about your maker, Godric."

Eric held his features like a cold slab of granite, but I saw a flicker of curious shock flutter through his blue eyes.

"How would you know anything about _my_ Godric? You are not worthy to speak of him to me and I forbid it. Leave. Now." Eric said coldly through clenched teeth..

"Wait, Eric," Bill interrupted.

_Oh no, Bill, you didn't just interrupt and defy Eric. You're soo dead. Ass._

"Out!" Eric seethed in a quiet rage, coming toward Bill and grasping him by the shoulder harshly.

Bill was clearly in pain, Eric's vice grip hands tend to have that effect on people, er, all creatures. And I awaited Bill to be torn apart in the middle of Fangtasia. But that's not what unfolded.

"Godric made another."

Eric froze, I could see his fingers pressing into Bill's flesh so that, if he were human, Bill would be raked with holes.

The words hung in the air and everything stood still. Even the marble like vampires seemed to remain more still than usual. The tension enveloped us like a velvet fog as I watched Eric's eyes take in the horror that Bill knew more than he.

All of a sudden there was a scramble as bodies, vamp and human bolted for the doors.

"Fools. It's just a raid," Pam appeared and broke the silence. "We should get out of here though." She continued casually. "After all, we wouldn't want to spend the night locked in a jail cell." She said with her eyes warmly on Alice. _Interesting._

"Pam's right, even the vampire sector of Shreveport jail is a hideous excuse for a coffin. We need to exit Fangtasia immediately. I smelled spilled human blood and we do NOT want to be associated with the incident. Let's continue this conversation back at your house, Bill. I trust you have accommodations for Pam and Miss Alice?" Eric asked while looking coldly at Bill. "I'll be staying at Miss Stackhouse's home, if she'll have me." He shot me a glance filled with smug happiness, adoration, and sex. I smiled back.

"Of course, Eric," Bill answered with revulsion." But why don't we go to your dwelling? It's closer and it seems we need a quick escape." Bill asked with the familiar lump in his throat, hearing the carnal remark regarding the Viking and I.

Eric explained further. He was the proprietor of a large quantity of V infused TruBlood, traded solely on the black market. Eric kept the stash at his house, and some in his car for VIP's, er VIV's. Should the police detain him and possibly search the house, we all didn't need to be there as witnesses to the cops disposal.

"Pam, you drive Bill and Alice, back to Bon Temps. We need my car out of Shreveport. I'll fly Miss Stackhouse back."

"Of course, Eric." Pam replied. Your car is a two seater, though, won't it be a little, cozy?"

"Bill will drive, you ladies can share the passenger seat." Eric replied while Pam and Alice looked at each other with smiles. _Good. Bill gets cock blocked by a chick. I love where this is going. Ass._

**BILL POV- ***************************

We arrived. That car ride was something I never wish to endure again. Pam and Alice chattered like school girls the entire ride to Bon Temps. I couldn't get a word in edgewise, even if I'd had something earth shattering to say. Which I didn't. But Alice, I felt protective and sweetly affectionate towards her. Not to mention she may be the only woman since Sookie to raise my attentions. But here she was, deeply eyeing Pam and fully engrossed in feminine conversation with her. I was a little perturbed. Alice was in my care, and I didn't wish to see her tainted with the venom of Eric's progeny. My God, Eric. He wasn't a brother, but his unknowingly being related to my close friend Jasper definitely elevated him from hated nemesis status. He was almost like a step brother once removed or so. How was I to negate my hatred towards him and keep things copacetic? Especially now that he is dating, I'm calling it _chaste dating_ for my own peace of mind, the love of my life? _Blond fucking bastard._

We pulled into my driveway and exited the vehicle. The girls immediately linked arms and strolled up the stairs to my home. My home. Coming back home was bittersweet. All I thought of was her. She was my last visitor. Sookie. Sitting, and later lying on my sofa. God I missed her. With male and more importantly, vampire, pride, I choked back the ghost of a tear and fought a blank breath from catching in my throat. How can I face here without her? It would kill me, if I were able to die. Distraction was what I needed. Anything. I thought as I skulked up the porch stairs.

Attempting to play dutiful host, I offered the ladies some TruBlood . They accepted and we all sat down in the "living" room to bond over _beers, _I casually thought. We discussed the raid, the trip to Peru, Pam's new pumps, but then Pam spoke the loaded question we all wished to know since our re-emergence.

"Alice, so, you and Eric... How'd that happen?" Pam asked casually as she gripped her TruBlood, tilting it back, holding Alice's eyes.

"Oh that. Our paths crossed in Paris." Alice smiled almost coyly.

"Ah yes, Eric's path. I have walked down that road myself. Many many administrations ago. That's some path." Pam replied with a slight smirk which masked an inner giggle.

"Eh hmm, yes. Quite. Such a well travelled one," Alice smiled again. "Well you know Paris... and it was war time... " Alice continued. Not wanting to hear anymore about _Eric's path_, I took this as my cue and excused myself to search out a viable place to bide the approaching dawn. Alice and Pam's conversation hardly faded into the background as they compared notes on the bountiful plenty of Eric Road. _Vomit._ Now this was more than I could handle. I needed instant deafness, or at least human hearing. To my chagrin, I couldn't block them out. Then the conversation switched to Alice's talent.

Pam asked Alice, "I noticed the way you move. It's very graceful... and your fantastic legs, are you a dancer?"

"Yes". Alice replied. "Ballet, 84 years".

"It shows." Said Pam, as I imagined her eyes travelling up Alice's flawless legs,

"Thank you, Pam." Alice responded. "I see you are familiar with dancers. I noticed the beautiful human writhing around the pole at Fangtasia. She was exquisite. Where ever did you find her?"

Pam answered, "Oh Yvetta. Yes, she's a doll. Every few months, Eric and I hold open auditions for dancers. Yvetta, rather, stood out." _No doubt _I though recalling Yvetta's bountiful feminine wiles.

"You should audition for us, Alice." Pam said playfully towards Alice.

""Mmmm, that might be fun." Alice replied with an overly flirtatious tone.

I hated them. They were flirting with each other, clearly interested in a rendezvous, and I had to listen to it.

Their conversation continued down the same tawdry path and I was forced to put a visual with the words. Pam had switched on the stereo and was now requesting that Alice perform some of her favorite dances, in the privacy of my living room. Alice obliged.

Alone, in my bedroom, far enough away from the girl party, I pictured her sinewy form swaying to the music, I could picture Alice stroking one finger slowly up her stomach, tracing her breast and entering her mouth as she locked eyes with Pam. _Stop! _I told myself. But even being a vampire, I'm still male and my mind, while on this thought process, is unstoppable. If I were human, I wouldn't feel thirsty. I wouldn't get up and walk towards the kitchen, casually passing the living room and it's voluptuous contents. I wouldn't see Alice standing infront of the fire with her wrap dress untied, hanging loosely from her white shoulders. Pam would not be kissing her lightly on the neck and moving her way down, slowly. I would ignore the view of Alice's beautiful face, twisting slightly with delight as Pam sank down to her knees. Alice's scotch colored eyes would not open and meet my own, drinking them in, inviting. I'd be ignoring how her eyes held mine as Pam slowly kissed down the length of her torso. I wouldn't come as Alice beckoned me to join them, gripping her slender fingers into the beautiful tangle of Pam's blond hair. I'd ignore Pam's wonderfully round ass that hung in the hair, slighty swaying, inviting. I... _go to sleep Bill,_ my conscience bellowed at me.

I obliged, after I took matters into my own hands. _Women._

**SOOKIE POV-*********************

As we moved upwards through the air, my breath caught in my throat. It was difficult to inhale at this speed but after a few moments I acclimated. What a sensation, to feel the clouds at my fingertips streaking through them at incomprehensible speed.I felt the tension of the evening walled up in Eric's shoulders which my arms rested upon. I pressed my weight onto them, and into his back, tightening my legs around his waist.

"Mmmm, Sookie. You're helping," he said squeezing my hands lightly and circling the palm with his cool thumb.

"Am I, Eric? I know it's been ..."

"You are." He cut me off. "You most definitely are." He exhaled with a slight sigh. I could only imagine what was going through his head. Bill knew something about Godric. _His _Godric. _Oh boy._

"Good," I said while pressing my thighs deeper into his hips. I was straddling him from behind, while traveling through the air at warp speed, but I had never made my movements slower. My hand drew up into his hair and gripped onto it asI told him, " I'm going to erase this evening. I'll climb into your brain..." I said as I pulled his head back slightly and gently bit the side of his neck. "I'll get the memory out of here, " I said as my hand gripped his plump left peck, my thumb brushing it's firmness. "You'll forget everything you've heard." I said while I lightly kissed his ear from tip to lobe.

"Mmmm, yes. Please do so, just like that." Eric said. "And I feel violated by Godric in the most intimate sense. Can you remedy that?" He probed.

"Hmph, how about like this?" I asked while I ground my pelvis deep onto the rise of his ass, my heels meeting each other in front of him, cupping him . I pressed my groin deeper and gripped harder, with everything. A moan escaped his tough facade and we began to steer off course.

"Sookie, you're going to make me crash." He said as his right hand grabbed one of the thighs that imprisoned his torso, giving it a firm kneading with his fingertips.

"I.. I.. .I'm landing."

"Mmm, coming in for a landing, huh?" I said with heavy breath."That's fine by me. I've been a bad girl, Father Eric. I think I my need a good throttling from your ruler."

We flopilly zigzagged and hit the ground most ungracefully. Very un-Eric like.

"What are you doing to me woman?" He said turning to face me.

"Pleasing you, I hope." I questioned as I ran my middle finger down the inside of my collar toward my chest, stopping at the low top button, pulling it down slightly exposing the delicate seam work of my burgeoning bra, then flicking the button open with my thumb, exposing more of my ample chest. I undid two more buttons with my eyes locked on Eric's brilliant, even in the dim moonlight, blue ones. He cocked an eyebrow at me and his lip curled into a sexy smirk.

"Hmm, well then, keep going" he urged.

I raised both of my eyebrows and continued. Smiling at him I placed both hands on my stomach and languidly slid them down the length of my torso, feeling my thighs down to the knee, stopping briefly as my elbows pressed the sides of my breast, plumping up my cleavage to maximum capacity. I brought one hand back up to the hem of my very short plaid school girl skirt. I stroked the hem a bit and slowly raised it higher up my leg, revealing all of my tanned thigh. I cocked my head to one side, motioned to Eric with one finger to "come here". Instantly his arms engulfed me and he was pressed hard against my pelvis pinning me to the wooden fence post behind me.

I made some sort of recognizable pleasure noise and pushed back from him, slightly.

"No," I murmured. "Come here..." While I walked a few paces in front of him.

During our landing, I noticed where we were. The Bon Temps cemetery. I knew it well after living here for my entire life.

"This way," I said. "I want you to really forget." I led him by the hand from out of the shadow of the willow tree into the moonlight. I felt his eyes blazing into the back of my head, taking in my hair, traveling South, while I moved voluptuously through the gravestones. I stopped at a familiar one.

"Here", I said with a sly smile.

"Oh God, absolutely," Eric agreed and kissed me thoroughly, with a purpose. I pushed him down to a sitting position, his back against the large elevated gravestone. Our clothes disappeared miraculously, as they often did, and I was on top of him, erasing his memory to the fullest. As I came to the glorious end I gripped the stone behind his head and held on through the wave of pleasure that passed through me. Afterwards, I looked at the stone, the marking of it's occupant, and gave it my best smirk.

_Take that Bill Compton._


End file.
